Metro News & Reviews

Highlight reel from Metro Board meeting

•Item 77. The Board approved a motion by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich to use funds that Metro provides to Metrolink for a 25 percent fare reduction on the Antelope Valley Line in an effort to test the impacts on ridership. Fares between adjacent stations would also be reduced to $2 from their present $4 to $5. Motion

•Item 21. The Board approved going forward with a pedestrian tunnel under 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles that will connect the busy 7th/Metro Center Station with the Bloc shopping mall across the street. Here’s a presentation about the project below and here’s the staff report.

•Item 24. The Board approved a motion by Board Members Mike Bonin, Eric Garcetti and Sheila Kuehl asking for staff to study all-door boarding on certain bus lines in order to speed up boarding and travel time. The idea is to determine whether it’s something that could work on other bus rapid transit lines that Metro may develop in the future. The agency plans to test all door boarding at a couple of stops on Wilshire Boulevard soon. Motion

•After the recent temporary shutdown of construction on the Crenshaw/LAX Line to address safety concerns with the firm building the project (Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors), the Metro Board discussed the situation. The Board approved a pair of motions by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas asking for: an audit of the procurement process in which Walsh Shea Corridor Constructors was selected, a review of Metro’s expenses in terms of hiring additional safety managers to oversee Walsh Shea and calling for an action plan to improve safety.

•Item 37. The Board approved two contract options with Kinkisharyo for 60 additional light rail vehicles for $260 million. This set of cars will be used to increase frequency of trains when the Regional Connector opens and trains can run between Santa Monica – East Los Angeles and Azusa – Long Beach. Staff report

•The Board received and filed a long report by Metro’s Inspector General’s on different strategies for policing the Metro system and Metro facilities. The report calls on more analysis to determine how many police are needed and recommends that perhaps the Board should continue the current contract with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department until more analysis is completed. IG’s report